Chapter Sixty EightLiam's POVI sat outside, watching the pack members wander around, preparing for the gathering later that evening. The air was heavy, filled with the scent of burning wood from the torches being lit, and the soft murmur of conversations intermingling with the crunch of leaves in the wind.Vanessa sat beside me, her fingers tracing slow circles on my arm. It was a habit she'd gotten into—touching me, holding onto me, as if she was afraid I'd vanish.My friend Aaron came up to me then. His expression was solemn, the kind that told me he needed to say something."Liam, may I have a word?" Aaron spoke up, his eyes darting to Vanessa prior to settling on me.I sighed. "What's up?"Aaron crossed his arms, his gaze unwavering. "It concerns Cara."I tensed slightly at her name but recovered fast."What about her?" I asked, my tone flat.Aaron frowned. "You just don't understand the issue, do you? You're with Vanessa all day every day, and your mate—your pregnant mate—is on
Chapter Sixty Nine : The MissingSophia's POVMy heart skipped a beat when I heard the news. Cara was missing.I had thought I misheard, that someone was pulling my leg, but the worried faces surrounding me told me otherwise. My hands trembled as I held onto the closest thing around me for support. Missing. She was missing. And she was pregnant.I did not waste a second. I turned and ran, my legs carrying me as quickly as I could have ever thought possible. My only hope was one individual now—Damon.I burst through the grounds of the pack, the sting of cold wind on my skin as I zigzagged among crowds of babbling wolves. They were all chattering, speculating. Some claimed that Cara had escaped. Others fretted she was kidnapped. I felt a chill at the notion. Cara wasn't just an ordinary wolf—she was with child. Anything that happened to her.I opened Damon's door without warning, gasping for breath as I went in.He was at the window, his back turned to me, as if he already knew I was th
Chapter Seventy : Caleb’s CaptivenessLily's POVPain. That was the first thing I remembered. A throbbing ache at the base of my neck. My body ached all over, my wrists burned where the rough ropes had rubbed against my skin, and my legs ached from being immobilized in one position for so long.And then, the blackness was ripped away.My cloth blindfold was ripped off, and the blinding beam of bright torch burned into my eyes. I blinked repeatedly, trying to adjust, but even before my eyes had a chance to adjust, I already knew where I was.I recognized my captor.A shiver ran down my spine as my eyes slowly lifted—only to be met with the cold, icy glare of Alpha Caleb.The appearance of him sent a ripple of fear rippling through me. Not because he was strong, or because he had kidnapped me in the past. Because this time… I could tell by his eyes. This time, he was not letting me go.He towered over me, his huge body blocking the small moonlight that was able to penetrate the trees.
Chapter Seventy One : The Relentless SearchI hurried through the dense forest hastily, my ribcage thumping with anxiety. The giant trees cast great shadows, and the thorns lashed against my garments like trying to stop me. I was desperate to find Cara. Every second passed like an age, and worry about what may be happening to her haunted my very existence.I paused, taking a deep breath, trying to capture her scent. The forest was rich with many scents—wet earth, wildflowers, and the faint musk of animals—but none that led me to Cara. Anger swelled within me. I clenched my fists, holding back the panic building within me. I couldn't afford to lose my composure now.As I went on, the stillness of the forest was broken by the swishing of footsteps behind me. I was about to turn and face whoever dared to pursue, tense muscles at the ready. Relief washed over my body upon seeing Sophia emerging from the bushes, her cheeks flushed and breathing hard."Sophia," I said in a mix of surprise a
Chapter Seventy Two : Cara’s Mission Cara’s POVMy whole body was shaking. My hands were cold, my legs felt weak, and my throat was so dry that I could barely breathe. I was terrified. Caleb’s grip on my arm was tight, his fingers digging into my skin. I knew he wasn’t going to let me go easily. My heart pounded so hard in my chest that I was sure he could hear it.I didn’t know what he was planning to do to me. Was he going to hurt me? Kill me? Keep me locked away forever? I didn’t know. But one thing was clear—I was trapped.Then I saw him.Damon.The moment my eyes landed on him, everything inside me changed. The fear, the panic, the hopelessness—all of it disappeared. It was like my body instantly knew I was safe. Damon was here. He came for me.Relief rushed through me so fast that tears burned my eyes. I had been so scared, but now… now I had hope.“Damon…” I breathed out his name, my voice barely above a whisper.His eyes locked onto mine, and I could see the rage burning in t
Chapter Seventy Three : SafetyDamon’s POVI ran through the forest, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it would break out of my chest. Sophia’s scent was getting stronger, but there was something else mixed with it. Fear. Pain. My wolf growled inside me, furious. If Caleb hurt her, I would make sure he regretted it.The trees blurred past me as I moved faster, my breath sharp. Then I heard it—struggling. A muffled cry.I pushed forward, breaking through the clearing, and my body froze in pure rage.Caleb was on top of Sophia, trying to strip off her clothes.She was fighting, pushing him away, kicking, but he was stronger, pinning her down.Caleb turned when he saw me. Instead of looking scared, he smirked.“I thought you wouldn’t come back for her,” he said, laughing. “Looks like I won.”My fists clenched so hard my nails dug into my palms. My wolf was howling inside me, demanding to rip him apart. But I needed to think. If I rushed in without a plan, Caleb could hurt Sophia bef
Chapter Seventy Four : The Care For SophiaDamon’s POVThe room was quiet, too quiet. I sat at my desk, staring at nothing, my hands clenched into fists. The events from earlier played over and over in my mind. Caleb. Sophia. Cara. The way I had to kneel. The way Caleb laughed, thinking he had won. My jaw tightened, my wolf growling inside me, restless and angry.I hated myself.I had to do it—I had to kneel to save Sophia. But the look on my pack members’ faces, the way they had stared at me afterward… It burned inside me like a slow fire.A sharp knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. I knew who it was before he even stepped inside.Lucas.He pushed open the door without waiting for my permission, his face hard, his dark eyes filled with something I didn’t like—doubt.“We need to talk,” he said, shutting the door behind him.I didn’t answer. I didn’t feel like talking. But Lucas wasn’t the type to back down. He walked straight to my desk, resting his hands on it as he leane
Chapter Seventy FiveChapter Seventy-Five: The Truth in the ShadowsCara’s POVThe packhouse felt suffocating. The whispers, the glances, the tension—it was all too much. I needed air, needed to clear my mind.My hand instinctively rested on my stomach. It wasn’t noticeable yet, but I felt it. A life growing inside me, hidden from the world.I slipped out into the cool night, the fresh air filling my lungs. The scent of damp earth and pine trees surrounded me as I walked through the quiet pathways. The moon cast a soft glow, and the distant hoot of an owl was the only sound breaking the silence.I wasn’t sure where I was going. I just needed space.As I walked, my thoughts raced. Liam. Damon. My unborn child. The past. The future. Everything felt tangled, pulling me in different directions.I stopped near a clearing, closing my eyes for a moment. I had come here before, back when things were simpler. Before I learned the truth about my mate bond. Before the lies. Before the pain.But
Chapter 105: Cara's POV – The Unexpected SightI had been pacing around the packhouse, trying to cool my head. It had been days since I'd spoken with Damon. Ever since the evening he'd betrayed me, I couldn't seem to handle him. And now, even Sophia, she wasn't even staring at me in the same way anymore. There was tension among us all.But that was something to worry about another time. There was something that worried me much more. I had to keep Damon away from Sophia. I had to tear them apart, destroy what was between them. That was my plan. That was my plan since the first time I'd seen them together, but deep within me lay something that had it set upon making it become a reality.I returned towards the living room, the part of the packhouse where individuals typically gather. But when I drew near, I stopped. I overheard the laughter and became frozen.I did not anticipate this. Not at all.I looked out the window, and there they were. Damon and Sophia. Sitting together. Laughing.
Chapter 104– Damon's POVI stood before her door.I heard her soft breathing inside.A week had passed.One complete week since she caught me and Cara. Since the truth unfolded. Since I apologized to her for the error I committed.And every single day thereafter felt like punishment.Sophia stopped sharing our bed. She gathered her stuff and just left without a word. And never returned.She barely addressed me.She walked past me as if I didn't exist.As if I were a stranger.Even Kayden, my wolf, stopped talking to me for a while. He was upset too. Upset with me. Upset at hurting our mate.Now, I was standing in front of her room… heart pounding like a drum.I didn't know why I was scared. I was the Alpha of the strongest pack. I could kill ten rogues in one stroke and not blink.But I couldn't go to my mate's door and knock.I closed my eyes and took deep breaths."Open the door, Damon."Kayden's voice resurfaced eventually."If she refuses you entry, we'll deal with that. But you s
.Chapter Forty Three – Cara's Point of ViewI lay on the couch with hands folded across my belly. The house was quiet. Too quiet. I still remembered Sophia's crying in my head although she had scaled up to the bedrooms. Her heart was broken. And because of me. I did not intend to hurt her. I did not intend to do all of these. But I did.I never planned on sleeping with Damon again, but these…It just escaped me.And then… I did something. I did it in order not to be disposed of by Damon. He looked at Sophia as if she was the sun, and yet I couldn't let him do so without a fight. I had something—a baby. Something potent.The thing is I knew.Growing inside of me is a baby by Liam.I was already three months pregnant before Damon ever touched me again. And Damon knew. Hr knew that day when Liam came to take me r. He knew I am being pregnant with Liam, and how he was shocked. But now… now all of that was different. Now he had kissed me again.Maybe. perhaps, if I made him aware that th
Chapter Title: The News That Broke MeSophia's POVI sat alone in the garden behind the packhouse. It was quiet. The only noises were birds and the wind through the trees. I had my knees curled up tight against my chest and cried silently.I did not want anyone to see me. My heart felt like a stone. I thought I could be strong. I thought not speaking to Damon would hurt less. But no… it hurt worse. I couldn't get him out of my head. I couldn't get his voice out of my head, apologizing… telling me he still loved me.But how do you say I love you to someone and then go to bed with somebody else?I wiped away my tears in a hurry when I heard footsteps. I was praying that it was Lucas. He had stopped by to check on me earlier, but I told him I needed to be alone. I didn't want anyone. I wanted peace.But when I turned around…It was Cara.I frowned and looked away immediately. I did not wish to gaze at her. I did not wish to hear her voice. But she did not mind. She walked towards me slow
Chapter 101Damon's POVI could feel the weight of the silence hanging in the air. The tension between Sophia and me had been mounting for days now, and despite how much I fought it, it seemed like the distance between us continued to widen. The things I'd shared with her, the truth about what transpired with Cara—it was just too much for her to process. I had expected her to be furious, but I could never imagine that it would be like she was escaping me, step by step.I stumbled through the packhouse, my feet heavy on the ground, my mind spinning. I hadn't talked to Sophia since I'd told her Cara was dead. Since then, she'd barely even looked at me. When she did, her eyes were full of hurt, betrayal… and something else I couldn't quite pinpoint. She was so far gone, and nothing I said or did seemed able to bring her back.Today, I was compelled to deal with her. I was compelled to make her understand that I loved her. That I didn't want Cara. That I didn't want anyone else other than
Chapter HundredHe Chose Her Instead of MeSophia's POVI curled up alone in the packhouse garden at the base of a big tree where no one could see me sitting. I tucked my knees up into my chest and wrapped my arms around them, and had my chin resting on top. I wasn't crying anymore. My eyes were already tender. My heart pounded harder.I hadn't even noticed how long I had been sitting there. Maybe hours. All of it weighed on me. My chest, my breath, my mind.Then I heard footsteps.I didn't lift my head."Sophia?"I knew that voice. It was Lucas. Damon's Beta. His best friend.I didn't answer him.He approached slowly and sat beside me without permission."You've been out here a while," he said softly. "Are you okay?"I didn't look at him. I didn't talk. I didn't even move.Lucas hesitated, then said again, "Sophia, you need to tell me something. You don't sound okay."I shut my eyes and let out an unsteady breath. "I'm not," I hardly whispered.His face drifted before me, concerned.
Chapter Ninety NineHer ScentI was in the packhouse living room, holding a pillow to my chest. It was quiet in the room. The fire was low in the fireplace, and the night air was cold. I had just come back from my parents' house. I missed them, but I missed Damon more while I was away.I smiled to myself as I thought about him. I wanted to surprise him with my return, maybe cook for him, maybe cuddle in his arms like we used to. I missed his warmth, his scent, his laughter. I missed the way he would look at me as if I was the only person in the world.I heard the door open.My heart pounded.He was back.I sat up straight right away and turned toward the door, expecting his smile. But Damon didn't smile. He walked in slowly, shoulders tense, eyes brooding. He didn't even look at me."Hey," I said softly, attempting to make him look at me.He nodded just and walked by me. No hug. No kiss. No words. He was… different."Damon?" I said softly. "Is everything okay?"He didn't answer. He ju
Chapter Ninety EightScheme From HerCara's POVI woke up slowly. My body was frail, but my heart was warm. Damon was next to me. His chest was bare. His face was serene in sleep.I smiled weakly. Last night was real. He touched me. Held me. Kissed me.It was like the past again.I reached out my hand, craving to touch his hair. But before I could, his eyes opened.He looked at me. He did not say anything for a moment. He was dazed. Then he sat up abruptly."What the hell?" he cried, breathing heavily.I also sat up, wrapping myself in the blanket. "Damon, relax. You're okay.""What is this?" he shouted. "What happened last night?"I looked at him. "You were drunk. You were upset. You needed someone. I was there for you."His eyes were wide open. "No. No, this didn't happen. Tell me we didn't sleep together."I said nothing.He jumped off the bed, pulling up his pants. Then he came to my side and grabbed my arm roughly."You tricked me, didn't you?" he yelled. "You planned this!""No!
Cara's POVI rested against the window, gazing out at the serene, moonlit evening. The house was abnormally still, the only sounds the distant howls of wolves in the forest. I could feel the pressure of it all crashing down on me. Damon and Sophia were bonded. That was the truth. The truth that stung. But it was irrelevant now. I had a plan.I surveyed the room, my eyes locking onto the door. Damon was in the adjacent room. Sophia had gone off to visit her parents, and I was left alone with him. I had been waiting for this opportunity—the ultimate opportunity. This was my moment to at last get what I wanted. I was pregnant with Liam's child, but no one knew that. Everyone thought the baby was Damon's. That was my chance to reclaim Damon, to have him back for myself.I couldn't help but smile to myself, imagining. This would be okay. Damon had never truly pushed me away, and if I could only maintain the charade that the baby was his, then he would return to me. He would be mine again,